Brazil raises BNDES lending rate for fifth straight time

BRASILIA Dec 17 (Reuters) - Brazil's national monetary
council on Thursday raised for the fifth consecutive time the
interest rate at which state development bank BNDES pegs its
loans.

The country's highest economic body, comprised of the
finance and planning ministers and central bank chief, raised
the so-called TJLP rate by another 50 basis points
to 7.50 percent for the first quarter of 2016.
(Reporting by Alonso Soto; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)